A SEVEN-YEAR-OLD boy helped save the life of his classmate when she got into problems in the swimming pool.

Oliver Liversidge pulled Lauryn Stone to the side of the pool where she could be dragged to safety.

But the modest hero didn't even tell anybody at the school of his exploits.

Oliver, of Settrington, near Malton in North Yorkshire, was at a swimming lesson when he realised Lauryn was panicking in the middle of the pool. She had been accidently knocked by another swimmer.

Lifeguard Amy Freer also dived in the pool to rescue Lauryn.

Oliver said: "I dragged Lauryn to the side of the pool and our instructor Amy quickly dived in to help.

"I saw Lauryn go under the water and she was crying.

"Amy told me I had done well because Lauryn could have drowned. I felt really happy that I was able to help."

His father Gary said: "We are very proud of him, especially as he has been so modest about it."

Lauryn's mother, Charlotte Stone, said: "We are all very grateful to Oliver and Amy for their help. It just proves how valuable it is for children to learn to swim."

Oliver has been learning to swim for a year and has several different strokes.

He has earned several badgts for swimming and was being watched in the pool by his brothers, Aaron, ten, and Rowan, five.

Catherine Hanch, headteacher at Settrington County Primary School, said Oliver had been very modest.

She said: "He didn't say anything at school and when asked at first he said he couldn't remember.

"We've actually being doing a project on courage at the school and we had just told the story of Grace Darling who saved the victims of shipwreck in the 19th Century.

"We're all very proud of him."

Peter Walker, chief executive of Community Leisure, which runs the pool in Norton, near Malton, said: "He responded very quickly with Amy to help Lauryn and as a result she soon recovered. But it does underline how important it is for youngsters to be taught to swim."